The invention relates to a device for pressing gummed labels or foils onto objects which are moved forward on a straight or curved path, the device having one or more pressing elements disposed side by side and moving forward in synchronism with the objects on a path that is curved convexly with respect to the first path, the said elements each having a pliable pressure pad at the level of the area of the object which is to be provided with the label or foil and which has a varying distance from the particular pressing element.
Such devices are used in labeling machines. The pressing elements are disposed on a gripper cylinder and have, as the pliable pressure pad, a cushion of foam or foam rubber. The pressing elements serve the purpose of pressing, on as large an area as possible, the label held by the grippers of the gripper cylinder, or the foil held thereby, against the label area of the object, e.g., the bottleneck area, which is at a distance which varies over the height of the label or foil from the mean circulation path of the pickup elements. In order that the pressing may be exercised with great uniformity over the height of the label, the pressure pads are adapted to the shape of the area to be labeled. If the bottleneck is to be labeled, the outside of the pressure pad will have a different distance, as measured over its path of curvature of the curved path of movement of the pickup elements. This means that the path speed of the pressure pad is greater in the area more remote from the center of curvature than in the area closer thereto. On account of these different path speeds within the pressure pad, the label is pulled laterally when the pressure is exercised and does not come into the desired position on the area to be labeled. The lateral dislocation is especially disadvantageous when the labels are printed or marked labels or polygonal foils, because it is easy to see the misalignment of such labels on the object.